Saturday, November 17, 2007

News that Traditional Anglicans...

...may be united formally with Rome is delightful. Apparently there's a group called the Traditional Anglican Communion, with various parishes in Britain and the USA...it conjures up agreeable visions of dear tweed-jacketed clergymen with families of Trollopian fecundity, and wives slicing up Victoria sponge sandwiches in damp marquees at rainy summer fetes, and people singing from old-fashioned hymn-books at gentle Evesongs. Oh, I do hope it all works out.

I am off on travels this weekend...off to Carlisle to give a talk there. I may not be able to blog while travelling...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Auntie Joanna,
I have just listened to your wonderful talks at the 2006 English Reformation Coming Home Conference....simply wonderful! I am a member of TAC through the Anglican Church in America (a deacon...soon to be priest)and the father of 5 wonderful children. I have a strong desire to unite with Rome and pray that this becomes a reality in my lifetime (40 years old). I hope I can meet you some day at a conference maybe....I do love your history talks.

God Bless!
Timotheus

Anonymous said...

I know some of those dear people over here, and I agree, it would be great for them to be with you in the Catholic Church! Only one note of caution, with tongue planted firmly in cheek: Be careful not to acquire a "high church". (wink)

Best wishes,

Mary from Philadelphia

Robert said...

As founder of the Bible Sabbath Assocation UK (promoting the Biblical Sabbath on Saturday) I do not welcome this news and in the long term, it will lead protestant churches down the road of accepting the teachings of Rome. But thank you for informing me of it!

Anonymous said...

Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear! However interesting this seems to be on the surface, the reality is far from reassuring. To begin with, the leader of this 'Communion' is an apostate Catholic priest who joined the Anglican Church to get married, then divorced, then had himself ordained bishop by a shady epicope vagantes source, and that's only the start of it. Many of these people, clerical and lay, are divorced but communicants and this will impose serious canonical headaches. Though predominently High Church, not all would want to be in communion with the Church. My feeling is that this is nothing more than a paper proposal that will get nowhere. Individual reception will almost certainly remain the norm.

Anonymous said...

Dear Anonymous,

You are probably correct in that the conversions will continue to be "individual", but to look on the "bright side", that will ensure that converts are less likely to bring in "baggage" that would not enhance the witness of true conversions that need to be complete in every aspect, with total commitment to the Church in every way.

If we pray very hard for them all, may God grant that those who have "chequered pasts" testify by their repentance the genuine conversions they will have had to undergo! Please pray!

Best wishes,

Mary from Philadelphia